WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2025 -- Patients with hematologic malignancies, especially those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), have an increased risk for developing skin cancer, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Celeste J. Eggermont, from the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and colleagues examined population-based risk estimates for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), malignant melanoma (MM), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) among patients with hematologic malignancies in a nationwide population-based epidemiologic cohort study using data for 210,794 patients diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy between 1989 and 2020.

The researchers found that the overall 10-year cumulative incidence of developing a first skin cancer was 2.6, 0.5, 0.05, and 4.8 percent for CSCC, MM, MCC, and BCC, respectively. Nearly all hematologic malignancy subtypes showed more than a twofold increased risk for CSCC, MM, MCC, and BCC compared with the general population. For each of the four skin cancers, the highest risks were seen for patients with CLL (standardized incidence ratios, 4.4, 2.7, 9.3, and 2.6 for CSCC, MM, MCC, and BCC, respectively). These elevated risks persisted for more than 30 years.

"Patients and physicians should be educated about the high and lifelong risk of skin cancer in this patient population, also with regard to less common but highly aggressive cancers, such as MCC," the authors write. "Sun protective measures should be strongly recommended, along with instructions on how to recognize the different types of skin cancer and on how to perform regular skin self-examinations."

One author disclosed ties to Sanofi, Regeneron, and SunPharma.